Gay marriages rewrite home ownership rules

Get Inman via Facebook MessengerOur top headlines delivered once a day. by CareyBot

SAN FRANCISCO–While attorneys here battle over the legal semantics of marriage laws in the midst of the city's gay marriage spree, same-sex couples who co-own homes should consult a tax expert to find out how getting hitched could affect their property ownership rights. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's landmark decision to issue same-sex marriage licenses will radically alter the application of home ownership and tax laws for gay and lesbian couples. More than 2,000 same-sex couples have said "I do" in San Francisco since last Thursday. Most of the property-related benefits of marriage involve payment of taxes, according to attorney Marc Weissman, a certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law. His firm, Weiss & Weissman, is based in San Francisco and Fost...